Lao Constitution Day Fun Run – 5K

I’m following a Dr. Will O’Connor half-marathon training plan right now, and it just so happened that the plan had a 5K time trial scheduled. Constitution Day lined up perfectly — an official race instead of a solo effort. Couldn’t have asked for better timing.

It’s not often I get the chance to really send it over 5K. The last time I went all-out was back in September 2024, at the end of a six-week block. We were on holidays in Koh Samui, and I time trialed by myself, up and down the road, and came away with 20:45 — a one-minute PB at the time.

Then in January, when we were in Adelaide, I jumped into a Parkrun. It was just ten days before my marathon, so I told myself I’d run it at a controlled marathon/half-marathon effort. Of course, once the gun went I got carried away. It turned into a fast progression run — opened with a 4:20 and closed with a 3:50 — and end up walking away with a new PB of 20:24.

By the time Constitution Day rolled around, training was back on track, but I was still building cautiously. Whenever the plan gave me an option — “45 minutes to an hour easy” — I was taking the lower end, 45, then 50, gradually stacking the weeks. So I wouldn’t say I was in excellent shape yet, but it was a steady progression.

The heat always makes things hard to gauge anyway, and the morning of the race was no exception. We were off at 6 a.m. and it was already 27–28 degrees. Classic Vientiane conditions.

For me, 5K sits in a different category from the half or full marathon. Over the longer distances, your physiology rules — you can only run to the level of your training. No trick is going to let you outrun your threshold. But 5K has this extra mental and emotional element. You can squeeze more out of yourself with the right psychological tactics.

So in the lead-up, I sat down with ChatGPT and mapped out a set of kilometer-by-kilometer mantras. A word and a phrase for each stage of the race. Something to grab onto when the legs start questioning what the head is asking for:

• KM 1 – Control: Relax. Let the others burn.
• KM 2 – Commit: This is what I came for.
• KM 3 – Accept: This is supposed to hurt.
• KM 4 – Hunt: Find them. Reel them in.
• KM 5 – Send: Now. Or never.

I’d been doing all my speed work in my old SuperComp Elites, but for Constitution Day I cracked out my Race Pair — first time in a while. I’d thought the old ones were still in decent nick, but as soon as I slipped into the Race Pair I realised the others had lost a bit of their snap. Definitely felt the difference.

I did a couple of kilometers warming up, running up and down the Tatluang Parade Ground. Bumped into another guy from the Vientiane running scene — he’s also got the Vientiane Marathon in his sights, similar goals, maybe a touch quicker. Always good to hear from the other fast runners around here.

Finished the warm-up with a few strides, and to my surprise, when I glanced down at the watch the last one had me clipping along at 3-flat pace. A nice little confidence boost before the start.

It was already hot and dripping with sweat. I’d been testing out nasal breathing strips, but by the end of the warm-up I’d sweated it off. Back to racing natural.

Speaking of natural ,another little difference with the 5K – short shorts, no phone, no music. Just running. Not somethign i really do, ever.

I watched the start of the 10 k met another runner i know from social media and 17min guy. I was a bit slow getting into the start corral and ended up about 10 deep, behind some older uncles. I was already thinking I’d need to be careful off the line when the announcer called out: “Elite runners to the left!” They’d set up a secondary corral. “Elite runners, you knwo who you are” I glanced across and spotted a few guys in the ‘Elite’ corral I knew I could beat. That settled it — I was ‘Elite’ today. Managed to extract myself from behind the uncles and get myself three deep in the elite corral instead.

The gun went off and, as expected, everyone blasted out hot. Time for the first mantra: Control — let the others burn. Sure enough, 400 meters in, we were rolling at a 3:40 pace and still people were streaming past me. I had to tap the brakes around the roundabout and settle in. First K clicked over at 3:59 — right where I wanted it.

By then we’d already run into the tail end of the 10K stragglers, who had started only 15 minutes before. We had to go through the the roadworks to avoid the crowd and down the main road toward Patuxay, I formed a small pack with a couple of the guys I’d seen in the elite corral. They’re 20-minute 5K types, so I tucked in. Second K: 3:56. That was Commit — this is what I came for. Locked in, right on plan.

The third kilometer was always going to sting. It included the turnaround and ended up being the slowest split of the day — 4:02. This was Accept — this is supposed to hurt. Lean into it, keep moving forward. Some of the early burners were starting to fade, and I picked a few off, but the one guy I really wanted to beat was still dangling up ahead.

Fourth K, back towards the finish rolling hill, was rough. That was Hunt — find them, reel them in. 2 of the group had already dropped off the last remaining guy had put about 30 meters into me, I could feel the nausea creeping in, but I held strong. We pulled back a few more that were fading hard. 4:00 right on where i needed to be, some quick maths another k the same and i was on for a sub 20

The last killometer Send — now or never. Up the hill to the joma lights, Normally we’d head straight back into the parade grounds, but this time the course turned left then right down the main entrance to the Parade ground. up the hill I started reeling him in,

Around the corner 400 to go — maybe a touch more — I caught him, and pressed on past, picking up the pace. Last kilometer was my fastest of the day, 3:55, even with the hill. By the line I’d put nearly 20 seconds into him.

Crossed in 19:47 on my watch. The finish-line clock above my head in the photos reads 19:50. Either way, it’s a PB of more than 30 seconds, and the first time under 20. Feels good to see a “19” next to my 5K time.

I’ve definitely been in better 5K shape earlier in the year, but I never put in the full-send effort. So it felt good to finally crack that sub-20. More than anything, it’s a psychological barrier — proof that I can string together sub-4:00 kilometers and hold it.

It’s also a sign that the rebuild is working. Training’s on track, the half-marathon plan adapted for the Chiang Khan Super Half 25K is feeling good, and there’s Luang Prabang Half and Vientiane Marathon still to come. Delivering that kind of performance on a hot, sweaty morning is reassuring. It bodes well for fast racing later in the year when the conditions are cooler.

For now, it’s just good to know that all this grinding in the heat is adding up — even if it doesn’t always feel like progress day to day.